A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios and an image from TheMilaJam Instagram

Firewalk Studios Senior Concept Artist Amanda Kiefer allegedly revealed that employees at the company are “terrified of the future” after the company’s first game Concord was shut down less than two weeks after it released.

A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios

As initially reported by Smash JT, Kiefer wrote on X, “I was going to DM you after seeing this, but this site makes me pay to do that, so at the risk of getting dogpiled, I’m just going to say this here: a lot affected the art side of concord including design by committee, failure of some leadership to listen to the art team, etc”

She continued, “the character concept art team including myself is going through an extremely difficult time emotionally, and some of the team no longer want to work in games, design characters, or even do art anymore after this. Because of this, posts like yours, though understandable are unfortunately ill-timed. None of us know which way the wind will blow with the studio, we are worried sick and terrified of the future. Not only that, but we have been shouldering the brunt of the emotional labor as executives/directors dodge most of the blame.”

Amanda Kiefer on X

Kiefer then added, “Behind the scenes of all this talk about concord and character designs, people’s livelihoods are at risk and there are very real financial consequences that might hurt us even more.

She concluded, “That’s just what I can say from our point of view. I’m not saying change course or anything – us artists like being able to use social media to promote our work and get more jobs. But I am saying we see this, and it does absolutely effect us since we just got our teeth kicked in.”

Amanda Kiefer on X

Ironically, Kiefer’s posts came just days after she claimed that gamers would not have any games to buy at all because they opposed woke ideology being injected into them.

She wrote on X in response to a disingenuous post from YouTuber MightyKeef regarding Bandai Namco embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Kiefer wrote, “Pretty soon these weirdos will have no games to buy at all…”

ImagineAmanda on X

The above post also came just days before Firewalk Studios Game Director Ryan Ellis announced the game was being shut down less than 2 weeks after it was released.

He wrote on the official PlayStation blog, “At this time, we have decided to take the game offline beginning September 6, 2024, and explore options, including those that will better reach our players.”

He also shared that the company will be offering full refunds, “While we determine the best path ahead, Concord sales will cease immediately and we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased the game for PS5 or PC. If you purchased the game for PlayStation 5 from the PlayStation Store or PlayStation Direct, a refund will be issued back to your original payment method.”

A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios

As previously noted by SmashJT, Kiefer is an admitted feminist who thinks supporters of Donald Trump are “brain dead” and “a dangerous cult.”

She wrote in 2020, “I am a feminist, I want to see a woman president more than anything, but she recently completely dropped her progressive agenda and is actively trying to stop progressivism in the party. I can’t support that and there’s a lot of ppl out there like me terrified to speak up :(”

In a follow-up she added, “I’m actually really scared to post this at risk of being called a Bernie bro or being otherwise attacked like I have in the past, so I might delete. I do support Bernie because of my ideals, but I am not a ‘Bernie bro’ and this was really scary to post.”

ImagineAmanda on X

In October 2020 she wrote, “Right now, trump supporters are filling the streets and highways of my hometown and the police do not mind one bit while ppl are intimidated at polls and attacked at protests. This is a dangerous cult.”

She added, “It hurts to see this happening in my beautiful hometown. This is terrifying.”

ImagineAmanda on X

In November 2020, she wrote, “I’m not sure why more ppl aren’t talking about Trump’s ‘1776 Commission’, where he will further whitewash the teaching of American history in schools. He wants to make it so slavery, genocide, and the systematic destruction of POC is not taught in schools.”

She added, “He will still be here for a lame duck session and he is most likely gonna try to ram this through. this is beyond terrifying.”

ImagineAmanda on X

What do you make of Kiefer’s comments about what employees are feeling at Firewalk Studios?